The Source Bulk Foods, the plastic-free grocer at 135 Putney High Street, is closing. An email from its manager to customers announced a closing-down sale from Saturday 26 July, 20% off everything while stocks last, no returns and no more gift vouchers.
The shop opened in May 2021 as the seventh London branch of the zero-waste chain, known for its bins of loose pasta, rice, oils and household products that customers scoop into their own containers.
Five months ago, readers named it a High Street hero in our survey of the street’s best independent businesses. One of them, Susan, wrote in to say why.
“I love the fact you can buy small quantities, staff always helpful and they are helping environment,” she told us at the time.
A pattern on the same street
The closure comes eight days after Wandsworth approved a 24-hour gambling arcade a few doors down at 160-162 Putney High Street, despite 58 written objections from residents. The fact that both have landed on the same short stretch of pavement within the same fortnight, tells a story of where Putney High Street currently is on its latest pendulum swing.
In July, the same thing happened to Casa Manolo, the High Street’s ham and deli shop, also voted a reader favourite before it shut its doors after eight years. The Source Bulk Foods is the 18th business Putney.news has tracked leaving the High Street since December.
Use it, or lose it
None of this means readers did anything wrong by not shopping there more. But the pattern is becoming familiar: a business gets voted a favourite, then closes anyway. If Putney wants to keep the shops it says it loves, it needs to use them more.
For now, there is still a chance to do that. The closing-down sale runs from Saturday 26 July at 135 Putney High Street, with 20% off while stocks last. Thibauld and his team will be there to say goodbye.
That is very sad. I used to shop there, but sadly stopped because of a clash of principles when they went ‘card-only’, as I am deeply suspicious of the move to end the use of cash. The Source understandably took this decision because they had been burgled more than once. It would seem that the underlying problem is crime, and another arcade is not likely to improve the situation.
Was in Source today and it seems that high rents also a factor. Haven’t seen a serious strategy from Wandsworth on Putney Town Centre. Am not sure what the role of the BID is in all this – does anyone know? Thinking more than just use it or lose it – I shop locally where I can – including Source – but the options in Putney are limited and the traffic environment doesn’t help